Can opener



April 22, 1969 A. E. DE MOTT ET AL 3,439,417

CAN OPENER Sheet 012 Filed March 17, 1967 8 5 Z m W M m v f, JM. 4 Z WEQ 1 M D m u rfllrfiullgk ||W M M a I f z I I i W x M April 22, 1969 A. E. DE MOTT ET AL 3,439,417

CAN OPENER Filed March 17, 1967 Sheet 3 of 2 Twi H afzomey United States Patent 3,439,417 CAN OPENER Alfred E. DeMott and Ronald E. Miller, Fort Smith, Ark,

assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 17, 1967, Ser. No. 623,880 Int. Cl. B671) 7/38 US. Cl. 304 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A can opener which is preferably power operated with a unique linkage mechanism that permits side loading of the cans and right angle actuating structure at the opposite Side for a stable and visible construction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention The invention herein pertains to a power operated electric can opener and, more particularly, to a novel linkage mechanism that permits visible one side loading and movement of the actuating linkage on the opposite side in a plane normal to the movement of the cutter plate for an inherent stable structure.

(2) Description of the prior art In the electric can opener field it has been customary to provide can openers that have front loading. In other words, the can is pushed directly into the front of the can opener and the mechanism to actuate the cutting action is generally a lever arm that extends parallel to the front face of the can opener. For normal operation, this means the user applies the can to the opener with his left hand at the front of the can opener and then actuates the operating lever in a downward or clockwise motion with his right hand. The result is that the actuating lever and the cutter plate consistently may move in parallel planes as in the same field of vision blocking the can. Structures typical of the types described are shown in US. Patents 3,121,285 and 2,979,815 respectively. In all can openers it is desirable to keep the piercing force at a minimum so that the can opener is easily operated and so a light force on the operating lever results in a large piercing force at the cutter wheel. This force may be obtained by any suitable amplification as by a large moment arm in order to obtain the piercing force necessary. However, a large moment arm requires a long arm, operating lever or various interconnecting complicated linkages must be used if the lever arm is to be maintained short.

Because of use in the household kitchen, various designs have been created to provide an attractive appearance consistent with the structural mechanism required to efliciently perform the can opening function such as 10- cating pins for proper control of the cans. Generally, the cans are all applied to the front of the can opener or in a plane facing the user. This tends to obscure the proper placement of the can on the driving wheel since it is obscured behind the can and with the view of the driving mechanism blocked, it may require several forceful applications of the can in order to secure proper loading. Various mechanisms have been provided to securely position and lock the can and these have generally, as noted above, resulted in placement of the can in a plane facing the user and actuation of an operating lever in a plane parallel to movement of the cutter plate and cutting mechanism or movement that obscures the view of the can.

Thus, the main object of the present invention is to provide a can opener that has one side loading and "ice opposite side actuation to result in completely visible loading and a very stable structure. A further object is to achieve this by a novel linkage structure wherein the opearting lever and cutter plate move in planes normal to one another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly described, the present invention is directed to a power operated can opener that uses side loading and operating linkage structure whereby the operating lever moves on the side opposite loading and in a plane normal to the plane of motion of the cutter plate carrying the cutter mechanism. This permits an attractive can opener as well as a very stable arrangement permitting visible placement of the cans. The invention comprises a substantially flat vertical supporting base with an electrically powered means for supporting and rotating a can on one side of and adjacent the base. A cutter plate that is coplanar with the base is mounted to overlie the upper portion of the other side of the base. The cutter plate is supported by pivot means connecting the plate at one endof the base for sliding rotation on the base parallel to the base. On the cutter plate there is carried a cutting wheel that is radially spaced from the pivot and extends through the base. On the other end of the cutter plate there is connected a flange normal to the plate. An operating lever that is connected at one end on the base by a fixed trunnion means is disposed to rotate in a plane normal to the plane of the cutter plate between an upward inoperative to a downward operative position. A linkage means is radially spaced from the lever trunnion and is pivoted to the lever at one end and to the flange at the other end for rotation of the cutter plate about its pivot means parallel to the plane of the base when the lever is rotated in a plane normal to the base. Suitable switch means operable by the lever in its downward rotation is provided to actuate the power means. Means is provided to overlie the cutter plate and bias it against the base and this means may comprise a finger having a predetermined off-set to define a gap that is less in thickness than the thickness of the cutter plate between the base and finger. A can hold-down member is provided and carried by the finger and extends at right angles to the finger and extends through the base. The cutter plate is disposed to rotate into the gap and cam the hold-down member downwardly to a can holding position when the lever is rotated downward. The entire linkage structure is surrounded by a housing means that encloses the open areas around the base and the housing has a slot to accommodate movement of the operating lever.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a can opener showing the can at one side and the operating lever at the opposite side for stability and visibility when opening a can;

FIG. 2 is a partial view of the linkage structure with the housing removed and showing some of the operating mechanism in phantom;

FIG. 3 is a view, similar to FIG. 2, looking in on the right side of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a partial exploded perspective view illustrating the novel linkage structure of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring first to FIG. 1, there is: shown a generally box-shaped can opener looking in on the front. This is a power operated or electric can opener that is formed by a housing 8 that encloses the normal open areas containing the structure. A fiat substantially vertical base 10 is provided at one side and it carries the internal structure to be described and forms the general support as well as carrying the cutting mechanism for removing the lid from the can 11 supported thereon adjacent to the base. The base may form one part of the housing to enclose the left side as shown. On the opposite side of the housing 8 an operating lever 14 is provided to actuate the cutting mechanism and lock the can 11 in place during a can opening operation. Thus, it will be seen that the can opener is an extremely stable device having a side loading feature with the can at one side and the operating lever structure at the opposite side so that the user is applying forces on both sides of the center of gravity of the can opener while loading. The weight of the can 11 and the operation of lever 14 provide opposing forces on both sides of the center of gravity also during the opening operation. Further, the location of the can at the side of the can opener provides visibility to assist in proper loading since none of the usual cutting structure is obscured by the can. This presents a visible and extremely stable structure, both features desired in such an appliance. Furthermore, it lends itself to an attractive design and a narrow design across the depth of the can opener because of the novel internal linkage to be described.

Referring next to FIGS. 2 and 3, the internal linkage structure is shown and this structure is designed to provide opposing motions of the operating lever 14 in a plane normal to the motion of the cutting mechanism in order to provide for the stability and visibility required of the device shown in FIG. 1. Within the limits of the generally pyramid box-type structure shown in FIG. 1, there is provided a generally flat base 10 that may be a casting formed with various supporting projections for the internal structure. The box-shaped can opener may be supported on the bottom of the box as shown or in any other suitable manner as, for example, on a pedestal or legs as shown in US. Patent 3,305,659. Various offsets and bosses for support may be provided as shown in FIG. 2 but, generally speaking, the supporting base 10 is flat and is substantially vertical as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The cutting mechanism shown at the upper left of FIG. 2 is driven by suitable electrically powered means such as motor 12 that may operate shaft 15 which, by interconnections with gears 16 and 18, operates to turn driving wheel 20 all suitably supported on base 10 in a generally known manner. By pulleys at the other end, knife sharpening means, generally indicated at 19, may be provided if desired. Power is supplied by cord 22. Any switch arrangement may be used and conveniently, a switch 24 that is contacted by downward motion of operating lever 14 makes the circuit to start the driving wheel concurrently with movement of the cutting mechanism is shown.

It is desired to maintain an attractive appliance with a narrow depth across housing 8 as shown in FIG. 1 and still provide the necessary multiplication of forces to pierce the can by operation of lever 14. This must be done without having the lever extend very far outside the can opener. Thus, it is necessary to provide a different linkage structure so that the side can loading feature with the opposite side lever operation will permit the visible and stable construction shown in FIG. 1. To this end, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, there is provided a cutter plate 26 that is coplanar with the base 10 as seen in FIG. 2 and, as shown, overlies the upper portion of the base on the other side of the cutting structure where the driving wheel 20 is mounted. For the cutter plate to move, it is provided with a pivot means 28 at one end which connects it to the base 10 for sliding rotation on the base parallel to the plane of the base. The cutter plate 26 carries a cutting wheel 30 on a stud 32 that is radially spaced a distance D from pivot 28 as shown in FIG. 3 and extends through base 10. The wheel is oriented with a spring biasing means 34. Suitable slot means is pro vided in the base plate 10 so that upon movement of cutter plate 26 about its pivot 28 by rotation only, the cutting wheel 30 is brought into engagement at the proper spacing with driving wheel 20 to engage and cut the lid of a can.

In order to provide the right angled linkage structure necessary to move cutter plate 26 upon actuation of lever 14, the other end of the cutter plate is provided with a connected flange 36 that may be conveniently formed by bending a portion of the cutter plate out of its plane normal to the plate. The flange is the point of attachment for rotating operation of cutter plate 26 by means of operating lever 14. To provide for this, the operating lever is connected by a fixed trunnion 38 at one end to base 10 on any suitable upstanding boss as shown that may be separately connected or former as part of the base casting as previously mentioned. Operating lever 14 is thereby rotatable in a plane normal to the plane of rotation of the cutter plate and is rotatable between an inoperative position as shown in FIG. 2 to a downward operative position where it contacts switch 24 to actuate the cutting mechanism. For transmitting motion of operating lever 14 to the cutter plate 26, there is provided a link means 40 that is pivoted to the lever at 42 at one of its ends and is pivoted to flange 36 at 44 at its other end for rotation of the cutter plate about its pivot means 28 parallel to the plane of base 10 on rotation of lever 14 in a plane normal to the base. Link means 40 merely interconnects lever 14 and cutter plate 26 and may be made in the form of a bell crank as shown as a matter of convenience to clear the underlying structure adjacent the base 10. Link means 40 may be any suitable interconnection between the lever 14 and cutter plate 26 and is not limited to the link 40 as shown.

Thus far described, it can be seen that motion of operating lever 14 in one plane results in movement of cutter plate 26 in a plane normal thereto to permit the compact application of opposing forces and thus stable arrangement of the can opener shown in FIG. 1 and movement of the cutting wheel 30 and lever 14 in respective planes that are substantially parallel to the front of housing 8 facing the user. In order to obtain the amplification necessary, it will be seen that the linkage thus described, provides several multiplication factors. Referring to FIG. 3, there is a mechanical advantage of approximately 2 to 1 obtained by the location of the cutter wheel mounted on stud 32 approximately midway between the cutter plate pivot 28 and the point of attachment of the operating lever 14 at flange 36. In other words, the mechanical advantage is shown by the distances D over D In addition, referring to FIG. 2, it will be seen that the distance D from pivot 38 to the end of operating lever 14 where the user applies force represents one moment arm. Another moment arm is shown by D; or the distance between pivot 38 and pivot 42 of link means 40 which is directly connected to the flange 36 to move the cutter plate. Thus the amplification in this linkage structure is D over D or, as shown, approximately 6 to 1. The total amplification factor, ignoring friction, is then the product of the two or about 12 to 1. Of course, there is a suitable amount of friction as will be apparent but it can be seen that the multiplication factor is quite large with short length of parts due to the right angle arrangement of the linkage structures shown. This results in the application of a small force by the user in order to generate a large piercing force at the cutter wheel 30. With the structure shown, one pound of force at the outer end of lever 14 would result in twelve pounds of piercing force at cutting wheel 30 if friction is ignored. Even with the friction included it can be seen that a large multiplication is obtained making for easy piercing of cans by a slight pressure applied by the user to operating lever 14.

With the right angle structure shown, it will be apparent that cutter plate 26 tends to be pulled away from its overlying relation on base 10 because of the application of force through link 40 at pivot 44. It is necessary to provide some means whereby cutter plate 26 is maintained against base in a sliding relation. To this end, there is provided a biasing means in the form of a finger 46 that is connected to the base 10 at 48 and 50 as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 and this presses or biases by pushing against cutter plate 26 to maintain it fiat against base 10. The overlying biasing means 46 may serve a dual purpose by being provided with a predetermined offset 52 as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4 so that there is defined a gap 54 that is less in thickness than the cutter plate 26. The gap is disposed between the base 10 and the link means 40 as shown in FIG. 2. This gap 54 is utilized to move the hold-down member 56 that engages the top of the can. The hold-down member 56 is connected to the finger link 46 by any suitable means as by riveting and the member 56 extends substantially at right angles to the finger 46 and through a suitable slot means in the base 10 as shown in FIG. 2. Upon operation of lever 14 and rotation of cutter plate 26, the arrangement of the parts with the predetermined offset is such that the cutter plate 26 is rotated into the gap 54 to engage hold-down member 56 and cam the member downwardly or bend it into a can holding position. Concurrently, the cutting wheel 30 is brought into position adjacent driving wheel 20 and the can is pierced by a light force applied to the end of lever 14 as it moves through slot 58 in the housing. Rotation of lever 14 through the slot closes the switch 24 and the power mechanism is then activated to rotate the can and remove the lid. When a knife sharpener 19 is used, slot 58 may have a notch 59, as seen in FIG. 1, to lock lever 14 down. If no knife sharpener is included, the slot 58 omits the notch.

It can be seen that the novel right angle structure provides for a large amplification of piercing force at the can lid while at the same time providing a stable can opener. Due to the side loading feature, with the can on one side and the operating force being applied to the opposite side, the two forces are on opposite sides of the center of gravity of the can opener shown in FIG. 1 for stability. Additionally, it is possible to observe the can for proper place ment with respect to the driving mechanism since the mechanism is not obscured by the can. The right angle arrangement permits an attractive can opener with a narrow depth while permitting operating lever 14 a complete traverse of slot 58 in the housing of the can opener without extending a large distance as would normally be required for the large amplification obtained by the struc ture of the invention herein.

While there has been described a preferred form of the invention, obvious equivalent variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be under stood that within the scope of the appended claims the in vention may be practised, otherwise then as specifically described, and the claims are intended to cover such equivalent variations.

We claim:

1. A side loading can opener comprising,

a fiat substantially vertical supporting base,

can support and electrically powered means connected for supporting and rotating a can on one side of said base, a cutter plate having cutting means thereon, said plate being coplanar with and mounted for movement in a plane parallel to the plane of the base,

pivoted lever means on the other side of said base extending away from said can and normal to said base for rotation between an upward inoperative position and downward operative position,

said cutting and lever means being thus respectively disposed on opposite sides of said can opener,

link means connecting said lever and cutter plate for movement of said plate in one plane upon rotation of said lever in a plane normal to said one plane and,

switch means operable to actuate said power means.

2. Apparatus as described in claim 1 having means connected to said base and overlying said cutter plate to bias plate against said base.

3. A side loading can opener comprising,

a flat substantially vertical supporting base,

can support and electrically powered means connected with said base for supporting and rotating a can on one side of the base,

a cutter plate coplanar with said base on the other side thereof,

pivot means connecting said plate to said base for rotation on said base parallel to the plane of the base,

a cutting means carried by said plate spaced from the pivot and extending through said base,

an operating lever pivoted at one end to the other side of said base and rotatable between an inoperative upward position in a plane substantially normal to the plane of said plate to a downward operative position,

said cutting means and lever being thus respectively disposed on opposite sides of said can opener,

link means spaced from said lever pivot connecting said lever and cutter means for rotation of said plate about its pivot parallel to the plane of the base on rotation of said lever normal to said base, and

switch means operable to actuate said power means.

4. Apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein said cutting means is disposed between said link connecting means and said plate pivot.

5. Apparatus as described in claim 3 having means connected to said base and overlying said cutter plate to bias said plate against said base.

6. Apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein said biasing means comprises,

a finger having an oifset to define a gap between said base and finger,

a can hold-down member connected to said finger and extending substantially at right angles thereto through said base,

said cutter plate being movable into said gap to cam said member downwardly to can holding position on downward rotation of said lever.

7. A side loading can opener comprising,

a fiat substantially vertical supporting base,

can support and electrically powered means connected with said base for supporting and rotating a can on one side of the base and adjacent thereto,

a cutter plate coplanar with said base and overlying the upper portion of the other side thereof,

pivot means connecting said plate at one end to said base for sliding rotation on said base parallel to the plane of the base,

a cutting wheel carried by said plate radially spaced from said pivot and extending through said base,

a connected flange normal to said plate at the other end thereof,

an operating lever on the other side of said base and connected by fixed trunnion means at one end to said base and rotatable away from said. can in a plane normal t0 the plane of said plate between an upward inopertive to a downward operative position,

said cutting wheel and lever being thus respectively disposed on opposite sides of said can opener,

link means radially spaced from said trunnion and pivoted to said lever at one end and to said flange at the other end for rotation of said cutter plate about its pivot means parallel to the plane of the base on rotation of said lever in a plane normal to said base,

switch means operable by said lever on downward rotation to actuate said power means, and

housing means enclosing the open areas around said base and having a slot for said lever.

8. Apparatus as described in claim 7 having means connected to said base and overlying said cutter plate to bias said plate against said base.

8 9. Apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein said bias- References Cited mg neans ti l d t d if H d fi UNITED STATES PATENTS a nger aving a pre e ermine 0 se 0 e me a gap r 3,121,285 2/1964 Freeman et al. 304 fi g g g ggs than cutter Plate between Sam 5 2,979,815 3/1961 Rhode et a1. 30-4 a can hold-down member connected to said finger and 3156044 11/1964 Congdon et 30 4 extending substantially at right angles thereto through FOREIGN PATENTS said base, 832,236 4/1960 Great Britain.

said cutter plate being rotatable into said gap to cam said member downwardly to can holding position on 10 ANDREW ASZ, Przmary Exammer. downward rotation of said lever. G. WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner. 

